San Francisco: Google has removed an April Fool's Gmail button, which sent a comical animation to recipients, after reports of that the feature caused "more headaches than laughs" to people at work.
Get the last word with Gmail Mic Drop https://t.co/v3wbrqglOZ pic.twitter.com/PRfgLO9Mzw
— Gmail (@gmail) March 31, 2016
WHAT A HARMLESS APRIL FOOL'S JOKE, WHAT COULD GO WRONG pic.twitter.com/Maw8a6VUSA
— Andy Baio (@waxpancake) April 1, 2016
The button appeared beside Gmail's normal send button and allowed users to shut down an email thread by sending a gif of a Minion dropping a microphone. However, a flurry of complaints about the button appeared on Google's forums. The firm has since withdrawn the feature and apologised, the BBC reported.
Changing sent email like that without confirmation is an incredible betrayal of trust. The damage from this prank is just getting started.
— Andy Baio (@waxpancake) April 1, 2016
"It looks like we pranked ourselves this year," Google said in a statement. "Due to a bug, the MicDrop feature inadvertently caused more headaches than laughs. We're truly sorry." A mic drop is a popular meme in which someone makes a conclusive statement or rebuttal before dropping a microphone and walking off.
Confirmed: Gmail killed Mic Drop, less than 30 minutes into April 1 on the West Coast. You're welcome, Internet. pic.twitter.com/ijDtGI197Q
— Andy Baio (@waxpancake) April 1, 2016
I did a little testing: Any email sent with "Mic Drop" is immediately and IRREVERSIBLY muted. Replies skip the inbox, with no way to unmute.
— Andy Baio (@waxpancake) April 1, 2016
Google was not immediately able to clarify details of the bug, the report said. Google added that users who were still able to see the feature could switch it off by reloading or restarting Gmail. The button was not enabled on the Gmail accounts of enterprise business customers.
Just confirmed this bug. Gmail adds the GIF even when clicking the normal "Send" button. https://t.co/tSS2gdo0iQ
— Andy Baio (@waxpancake) April 1, 2016
One Google user wrote on the forum:
Google keeps the laughs coming! 24 more hours to go! pic.twitter.com/6WOjjGiZS4
— Andy Baio (@waxpancake) April 1, 2016
This woman sent a prayer request to 50 friends and family. After realizing what she sent: "I was mortified." pic.twitter.com/ObyPMpJ94M
— Andy Baio (@waxpancake) April 1, 2016
Another complained that they had been having interviews for a job with a company for three months and then accidentally sent a mic drop email to the HR department. And a third said that they had sent an "important email to 30 recipients".
Users had been informed of the button and what it would do via a message in Gmail when it first appeared. Furthermore, users with the "undo send" capability enabled would have been able to retract a message within a certain time period after sending it.
